Brussels, 27/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - The discussion seminar on “the place of the Regions in globalisation”, which was held in Ponta Delgada on 23 and 24 June, on the invitation of the President of the Autonomous Government of the Azores Carlos Manuel Cesar (see EUROPE 9214), closed with the signing of a framework agreement between the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This agreement aims to increase cooperation between the European Regions and the Regions from other continents, with a view to creating a worldwide organisation of the Regions. “Thirty years ago, the CPMR acknowledged the urgent need to structure a mouthpiece for the regional level within a European Union in the process of being set up. Today, in seeking alliances with Regions from other continents, the voice of Europe's Regions shares the same concerns within the emerging circles of future world governance, such as the World Trade Organisation, International Maritime Organisation, Kyoto Protocol and United Nations General Assembly,” says CPMR spokesman Enrico Mayhofer in a press release. This first worldwide meeting of Regions brought together the Presidents of Regions from all over the world, including from Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Tunisia, South Africa and the EU (but not from Asia) who exchanged views on globalisation, a phenomenon which, for the Regions, means constraints, but also opportunities.
The CPMR idea of a partnership between the EU, international organisations and the Regions to meet the challenges of globalisation was supported by the European Commission President José Manuel Barroso (who addressed the seminar by videoconference). Claudio Martini, the President of the CPMR and Tuscany Region, said that, for Europe to play a leading role in the world, the regions had to form a network of friends of a united Europe, expressing his conviction “of the need to develop regional structures at international level so as to protect the interests of regional populations and involve the regions and the most important partners in coordinating development strategies”. A close observer of phenomena linked to globalisation, Mr Martini quoted the philosopher Ivan Illich who spoke of two sides, the globophiles and the globophobes, or opponents of globalisation who believed it was bad even though they were convinced it could not be altered. Ultimately, the two sides come to the same result, because they do not do not ask themselves about the issue of change, yet, for political leaders and progressive movements, the issue is precisely that. “We must and we can intervene. It is our duty for the future of humanity. Goods, capital, information, people all move around the world, but not democracy. The United Nations has a role to play in this direction, but unfortunately it is not sufficiently acknowledged. Reform of the UN is necessary, and it will happen with the support of the Regions. The direct link with the people,” said Mr Martini. Christophe Nuttall, the UNDP's Director of Resources and Strategic Partnerships, said that “the Regions can play a major role in terms of identity and global governance” and “it is on the ground, especially in developing countries, that the UNDP hopes to benefit not only from the practical but also the human experience of CPMR member Regions in managing a territory”.
Michel Barnier: “the real question is to know how to master, how to regulate,
how to humanise globalisation”
“You are acting in the general interest, by creating this network of European and world Regions, and in outlining what could turn out to be a Network of Worldwide Regions,” said Michel Barnier, a former French foreign minister and former European commission for regional policy. “Successful globalisation: we are still a long way off!” he exclaimed. For him “the question to be asked is not whether we are for or against globalisation, but whether we are spectators or players, whether we accept or try to control. The real question is how we control, how we regulate, how we humanise this globalisation”. Suggesting a number of ways of renewing the systems of governance, he considered that it was necessary to: (1) renew worldwide political governance, that of the United Nations and its various bodies; (2) improve economic governance and solidarity within this economic governance, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) among others; (3) improve environmental and health governance, and work towards a World Environment Organisation; (4) move to continental governance: the organisation of the world along continental lines is a way of making globalisation successful, he said, calling on the political leaders of the Regions to remain vigilant: “we will never dine at the table of the great powers if we do not come together as Europeans, as political players, with a reign and trade policy, a cooperation policy and a common defence policy”.